- Financial Aid/Scholarship Information for Graduate Students
- Federal Aid Programs
- How to Re-apply for Federal Financial Aid?
- What is Verification?
- What Other Funding is Available?
- Cost of Attendance
Financial Aid/Scholarship Information for Graduate Students
The Eastman School of Music provides financial support to its graduate students primarily through graduate scholarships and stipends.
If a student currently has an assistantship for the 2024-25 academic year, a questionnaire regarding the renewal of that position will be sent to a student’s UR email address in February. Students should respond to the Graduate Studies Office. If a student does not hold an assistantship for the 2024-25 academic year and wishes to be considered for one for the 2025-26 academic year, that student should consult the chair of the department in which he/she would like to hold an assistantship for application procedures.
Please note that assistantships do not automatically roll over from year to year. Students must re-apply every year through the process described above.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Costs of a Graduate Degree at Eastman (Click Here)
Federal Aid Programs
The Graduate Scholarship Program is unable to meet the financial need of all our graduate students. Eastman’s Financial Aid Office helps graduate students, who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, apply for federal financial aid (Federal Work-Study & Federal Direct Loans) to help with their educational expenses.
International graduate students, although not eligible for federal financial aid, may apply for a private loan for financial assistance beyond the graduate awards with a U.S. Citizen or eligible permanent resident as a co-applicant.
This program provides full-time graduate domestic students an opportunity to earn money towards educational expenses through on-campus and off-campus employment. The hourly pay for each position is determined by the University of Rochester pay rate based on the type of work and the skills required. Most Federal Work Study eligible students at the Eastman School of Music obtain employment within the school.
Students are responsible for seeking available positions on campus if the student wishes to earn work-study funds. Available positions are posted to JOBLINK.
The number of hours a student can work will be determined by the class schedule, supervisor, and the amount of FWS funds offered to a student on the financial aid package. Students must be enrolled full-time to be eligible for work-study.
The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is a low-interest educational loan for students attending school at least half-time (6 units). This loan has a fixed interest rate and an origination fee is subtracted at the time of disbursement. Interest will begin to accrue on the loan after disbursement. The government does not pay the interest; the student can choose to either pay the interest while in school or have the interest added to the loan principal to be repaid later. If not paid, the interest will accrue and be capitalized back into the loan. There is a 6 month grace period before repayment begins after graduation. Eligibility for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is not based on need and a student can qualify regardless of income.
The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan program provides a credit-based loan at a fixed interest rate and allows graduate students to borrow up to the cost of attendance minus other financial aid awarded. An origination fee is subtracted from the requested loan amount at the time of disbursement, so the dollar amount disbursed will be less than the amount borrowed. Repayment on the principal and interest can be deferred while the graduate student is enrolled in college. However, interest will accrue and be capitalized back into the loan.
Our Loan Information page has more in-depth information about each of these loan programs.
How do I re-apply for Federal Financial Aid for 2025-26?
To re-apply for Federal funds (Work-Study or Federal Direct Loans), all Domestic Students (US Citizens or Permanent Residents) need to complete the 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
The 2025-26 FAFSA is now available to complete.
Eastman’s FAFSA Code is 008124
Eastman’s FAFSA Application Deadline: May 1, 2025
Tips for completing the 2025-26 FAFSA
Staring in 2024-25, the FAFSA application and the delivery system changed. Make sure to visit our FAFSA Simplification page for more information – Click here
For a quick summary of changes, download our 2025-26 FAFSA Simplification Fact Sheet
How to create a FSA ID & password
How will I receive my 2025-26 Financial Aid Notification?
An email will be sent to you by the Eastman Financial Aid Office with a link to your financial aid notification on ESM FAOnline.
We will begin to review financial aid files for Graduate students in June.
What is Verification?
Verification is the process of confirming the information you provided on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as required by Institutions participating in Federal Financial Aid programs. Not all students are selected for verification. If you are selected, in order to comply with Federal regulations, we may ask you to provide information that verifies the data you provided on your FAFSA. If you choose not to, or fail to submit verification documents, we will cancel all Federal Financial aid.
What other funding is available?
Outside Scholarships
We encourage students to search and apply for outside scholarship funding throughout their degree program. Receiving the greatest amount of outside scholarship funding requires students to consider scholarships beyond the music realm (clubs, religious organizations, ethnic groups, foundations or fellowships, etc.) and to keep the search broad. Please visit our Forms and Links page to begin your search.
State Educational Resources
Some state governments offer an educational grant and loan programs.
To learn if your state has any educational resources, contact your State Education Agency through NASFAA State Financial Aid Programs. Contact your State Education Agency with any questions.
Private Alternative Loans
Some students choose to borrow a private loan to cover a portion of the cost of education not already paid for by scholarships and federal loans. We encourage students to exhaust all federal loan options prior to applying for a private loan. The federal loan programs generally offer lower interest rates and fees than the private loans.
If a student chooses to pursue a private loan, we recommend comparing the costs associated with various lenders before completing an application. Interest rates, fees, repayment periods, and other benefits can vary significantly between lenders. Often these loans are based on credit-worthiness and approvals are not automatic. The FinAid.org website provides some comparative information regarding private loans. When selecting a loan through a comparative website, be sure to go to the lender’s website to ensure the most up-to-date information about the loan.
The Eastman School of Music does not maintain a preferred lender list. As such, the University has no agreements or relationships with any lenders and does not receive any benefit, financial or otherwise, from the use of private loans by students. For more information on the University’s policies, please see our Student Loan Code of Conduct & Policy on Private Lending.
Special & Unusual Circumstances
If your financial circumstances have changed drastically due to unemployment, medical expenses, loss of personal funding (Social Security or Child Support), etc., then you should contact Eastman’s Graduate Studies Office via email at gradstudies@esm.rochester.edu. Students encountering unanticipated hardship during their enrollment may submit a financial aid appeal, but should understand that school funds are typically fully spent, and very little additional aid will be available. Students appealing for additional support should complete the Graduate Income & Expense Statement (available from the Graduate Studies Office). Domestic students appealing their offer should also submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and will have access to student loans. Appeals are considered by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Office of Financial Aid. It is sometimes necessary for a student to take a leave of absence in order to address their financial situation.
Cost of Attendance
For detailed information about the costs of a graduate degree at Eastman, please see the Graduate Cost of Attendance Page and and University Bursar’s website.